


Yula's Journey (working title)

by RabbitCult



Series: The Cré Ullen Verses [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe, Other, Possession, Science Fiction, Wraith
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-05-13 01:18:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19240906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RabbitCult/pseuds/RabbitCult
Summary: The first step into the other world of Cré Ullen where our concepts of fantasy are an absolute reality.This story will follow the now young girl Yula Volkov as she is seemingly kidnapped by the mysterious being Adwyth and taken to a realm that not only holds a cure for the illness that's killing her, but where she'll discover a world that's seemingly taken straight from the pages of the fantasy novels she's grown to love.Will a day come when she's able to return to her father on Earth?Follow "The Cré Ullen Verses" to find out!(PS, I will be using angle parentheses to differentiate when the character Adwyth is speaking to Yula in her thoughts)





	1. Chapter 1

In a rather nondescript medical wing of a research facility, a sickly girl named Yula tossed and turned restlessly, unable to fall asleep. The girl had ventured out of this room only a handful of times in the last seven years, having inherited a genetic disease that had taken the life of her mother that left her frail and in need of constant care.

Endless stacks of fantasy novels had become her only companions to keep her company while her father Aliks attended to his project he simply called “Exodus”. Her bedroom had become decorated with paintings of her favorite scenes from her most treasured stories, a small luxury comfort for the most painful of times. Several towers of books were stacked messily around the room, toys strewn carelessly about that the nursing staff had become adept at dodging.

Earlier in the day there had been a massive power surge from somewhere in the facility that had caused lights to flicker and panicked staff in and out of every room to secure all necessary medical equipment to backup generators wherever needed. Aliks had sent word to Yula that everything was fine and he’d visit her as soon as he was able, but knowing the events of the day were severe, Yula didn’t plan on him actually making it to her room.

Turning over on her side, the hair on the girl’s neck began to stand up, and sensed that she wasn’t alone in the room. With a sensation like the night itself was bearing down on her, heavy and cold, she noticed on the floor that the books and toys that had been left out had vanished. Sitting upright and looking to the other side of the room, everything else had vanished, even the medical equipment, leaving only Yula and her bed alone.

Casting terrified eyes to the ceiling, Yula noticed a black inky substance dripping from a light fixture, soundlessly onto the floor below. Crawling to the end of the bed, she tried to find the source of the drip only to see the substance cascade violently to the floor for several moments, until stopping all at once like a faucet.

Suddenly, a shape rose from the black pool on the floor, spider like and inhuman. Realizing it was the silhouette of a person, Yula frantically tried to find the nurse call button, seeing that truly every possession within the room had vanished, even the door itself now missing. Turning her head back to face the entity, she now saw a pale, sallow skinned woman, her naked frame only clothed by shadow.

The woman’s hair was silver and lifeless, sticking wet and unkempt to her skin, her eyes a similar shade, visible through the choking darkness, as they pierced through Yula’s soul with their unyielding gaze. Her sickly form teetered back and forth oddly, making Yula wonder if she was sickly herself as well, considering how pallid her skin appeared to be.

For what felt like ages, Yula and this strange creature stared backed at one another, the former party even afraid of blinking lest the creature get the drop on her. Knowing no help was going to come and knowing that no resistance could be made considering her own health, the girl decided to speak.

“H-Hello…,” Yula choked, her frail voice breaking out of a primal sense of fear. Her hands trembled and sweat poured down her brow.

Smiling, the creature revealed jagged, broken teeth that were yellowed and decayed, before emitting a coughing sort of laughter.

“Hello, dear sickly child. Tell me, won’t you please, what is your name?,” the being responded in a faltering, otherworldly voice.

“Y-Yula… and yours?”

“How very polite!” Came a pained cackling, followed by “It has been many years since one has asked my name rather than trying to flee in terror or attempting to raise a blade to my form. The only name I know anymore is Adwyth, Adwyth the Fallen Fury.”

“Well… Adwyth…” began Yula, still trembling in fear, “What are you doing in my room?”

“I have been searching for a new body and just when I was about to ensnare a woman in my own world, a strange gate appeared that seized me and spit me out into an infernal room filled with Alrulian-esque machinery and men in strange, white garments.”

Always having been quick on the uptake, Yula realized that the power surge earlier had likely been her father Alik’s project spitting out Adwyth after accidentally seizing her somehow.

“Although the people of that room couldn’t see me because I was still invisible, I quickly escaped into a shaft above the room and lurked until I was sure enough of my bearings to explore the predicament I’ve found myself in.”

Pondering the moment, Yula inquired, “Why do you need a body?”

Stepping closer to the side of the bed, Adwyth responded after a moment, “I am dying. I am nearly two hundred and sixty-three years old and my form requires bonding to a living being to survive. Likewise, I still possess reason to cling further to this mortal coil, as I have business yet unresolved.”

“What’s more,” she continued, “I have been dancing through the shadows of this infirmary looking for a patient or cleric that holds an ideal body to bond with, yet none have met the very specific needs I have. That is, until I spied on you.”

“M-me!?” Yula’s hands grasped the sheets, “I’m only twelve and I’m likely dying! They won’t outright say that to me, but I’m not stupid. My own mother died of this illness, and I am sick with it even younger than she was!”

“Your ailment is merely a bitter pill I can swallow and cast away, and once we’ve formed a union, your age is an inconsequential matter, for I would once more have time on my side. As I’ve spied on you, both your possessions and some of your thoughts themselves, even the blind can see you’re both suffering and long for a world of magic and fantasy, as your own world would call them.”

Feelings pangs in her heart, and somewhat hypnotized by Adwyth’s words, Yula stared longingly into the eerie, silver eyes that broke through the darkness with their blinding radiance. It was as if every drop of murky fear that had filled her heart and lungs mere moments ago had vanished, replaced by a longing desire for the cure the peculiar woman held.

“I can take you to Cré Ullen, the world that birthed me so many years ago, where the magic and mystical beings of your tales are reality. Once there, you are free to pursue a happy, healthy life until I’ve restored enough power to myself to challenge the criminals who have cursed me to this fate to begin with. Once my justice has been won, I will abate and depart across the endless ocean, leaving you once more to the life that you’ve built.”

“Would I ever be able to return to this world… to see my father?” Yula asked, a somber air about her.

“I will make no promises, for gates are a school of magic that I never delved the depths of, but I have few doubts there is a magic there that can guide you back to this world.”

“I don’t want to abandon my father, but I’ve been trapped in this room for seven years. I want to live and see this or any other world, for that matter!” Yula gasped through fearful breaths, “I will help you, Adwyth. Though, I have no idea how you’d get both of us into the lab where my father works.”

“I will take ahold of your body and your consciousness will be left suspended as if in a dream, where you’ll only have a faint recollection of us escaping this facility. Although my form is weakened, I have enough strength left to force our way into that chamber where I will have the gate re-opened.”

“Please, the only thing I ask, don’t hurt my dad. I know he doesn’t visit often and has a hard time being in the room, but please don’t hurt him.” Tears were slipping down Yula’s face as she asked the creature for mercy on the man.

“I will not lay a finger on that man. You have my word.” Adwyth responded, a strange warmth to her otherwise unsettling voice. “Are you ready to lend me your form and journey forth?”

Without a word, Yula nodded firmly.

Caressing Yula’s cheek and whispering a strange language into her ear, Adwyth, closed her eyes for probably the first time in their encounter. After several moments, Adwyth vanished, and the room returned to its former state, the toys, books, and machines all restored to their appropriate resting places. The murky pool of ink evaporated in mere seconds, and sunlight peered through the window as dawn ushered in a new day.

 

——

 

Staring at the first slivers of light of the new day, Adwyth shifted her gaze down at Yula’s hands, realizing that she now held full control over the young girl’s body. Although the form was, in fact, frail after years of fighting an illness, Adwyth focused some of her energy towards abating the illness enough to muster the strength to escape.

Hearing the door on the room open suddenly, Adwyth turned to see a nurse striding in behind a cart that held a plate of food. Stopping several feet from the bed, the nurse motioned with her finger on a strange device several times before looking up at her patient with a greeting.

“Good morning Yula! I hope you slept sound-…” her words went unfinished as a surprised expression took shape on her face.

“Honey, what’s wrong with your eyes!? They’re silver and so pale!” She exclaimed.

Not waiting for the panic to continue, Adwyth waved a hand and called out “Sleep, child.” And, as fluidly as she had waved her hand, the nurse collapsed to the floor.

“Curses, a host doesn’t usually reject any aspect of my form. Well, we can’t waste any time now, can we?” Adwyth muttered aloud.

Slipping out of the bed and making sure her gown was secured tightly to Yula’s body, Adwyth opened the door and stepped out into the hall. One quick glance revealed a nurse station where several individuals were gathered and speaking. Knowing there was no way around it, the wraith would have to force her way through as she recalled the path back to the infernal room of machines.

“I can’t shadow slip with a host body, either. I’ll just have to mask my identity.”

Muttering in a strange tongue, Adwyth continued down the hall and hoped that the spell of imitation would make the nurses see her as one of the orderlies she had spied while traveling through the ventilation system in the facility. This was key, because much like dreams, the spell could not create an entirely new appearance, rather, it had to be taken from a clear mental image from memory of another person or being.

Thankfully, with one so adept in magic of stealth as Adwyth was, she was confident that the nurses would be fooled without fail. Within seconds, her confidence was rewarded when not a single loitering attendant batted an eye as Yula’s body strolled right past their station. Still, knowing they would wonder about the whereabouts of the nurse who was unconscious in Yula’s room soon, she hurried to stairwell down the hall.

Quickly ascending flights of stairs, the wraith didn’t pass a single person on her way to the testing sector that held the gateway that lead her to this world. Before reaching what she presumed was a guard station, she muttered the same shape shifting spell again and took the form of a researcher that had been in the room at her arrival.

Standing at attention, one of the guards spoke with a mild look of shock in his eyes.

“Dr. Rand! I thought you were leaving for the day!”

“I, uh… I left behind a personal effect inside the lab. Could you let me back in?” Adwyth responded, trying her best not to stumble over an excuse.

“Certainly. Dr. Volkov and his team are still at it, so be sure to say ‘hi’ for us.” Said the guard, a chipper tone to his voice.

The guard pressed several buttons in sequential order and the security doors suddenly began to open, sliding aside quite quickly despite their immense size. Revealing a lengthy corridor that was dimly lit, Adwyth stepped over the threshold, a place she had just snuck out of a mere day before.

Knowing she wouldn’t be able to keep up the guise upon any kind of questioning once inside, Adwyth dropped the false image of the scientist she had just used and revealed Yula’s true appearance once more. Swallowing away a knot in the girl's throat, she was glad the child was in a suspended state within her own consciousness, as the plan was going to take a very sharp turn at this point.

Adwyth’s powers were weakening, as she sensed no source of mana in the air or surrounding building. It seemed that this entire planet was devoid of the energy, which was a source of power for any magic user. To counter this, she was withholding one last major dam of the power to use to coerce the scientists to re-open the gateway back to Cré Ullen, her own world.

Carrying Yula’s frail form along down the corridor, she took several turns, retracing the path that was still fresh in Adwyth’s mind. As she tried to concentrate on the memory, her fears of discovery finally materialized as a security announcement began through the facility PA system.

“Security, scan all sectors. A patient has gone missing from Priority Medical Wing Gamma. I repeat, the patient Yula Volkov has gone missing from Priority Medical Wing Gamma. Please scan all sectors for the patient.”

Panicking, Adwyth channeled minimal amounts of mana to Yula’s frail body as she sprinted down the hall towards the now visible doors of the main laboratory that first welcome’d the wraith forcefully to this world.

Reaching the entrance, the doors glided open revealing a thin man with long, blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail. His eyes were pale blue, shining with desperation as his lip quivered at a pace that matched them. His skin went a shade paler as he eyed his daughter’s form standing mere feet before him.

“Y-Yula!” He cried out, shock ringing out loudly from his mouth.

Taking a deep breath, Adwyth spoke for the girl.

“Please, let’s step inside the chamber. I would like to have words with you.” She said calmly, an alarming contrast to the man’s panic.

“Y-you… you’re not Yula, are you? The silver shine in your eyes… It’s not human. Your voice doesn’t have her warmth or body, either. W-who are you?” He asked, trying to calm his stutter as best he could.

“Please, I’ll ask again politely, can we step inside? I have matters to discuss with you.”

Nodding without a word, his hands trembling as they motioned, Aliks ushered the girl inside the laboratory. As they walked inside, a silent team at various terminals and stations, all with mouths agape, eyed the pair as they walked into the interior of the room.

Approaching a massive, multi armed arched machine that stood in the center of the lab, Aliks faced his daughter’s form, speaking as collectedly as he was able to muster.

“What are you doing with my daughter? The simple fact that you’re walking around unassisted, let alone with a voice that only imitates her own, is a clear indication something is amiss.”

Smiling, Adwyth began “I’m pleasantly surprised at the perception you possess. I am a being known as Adwyth, the Fallen Fury. You could say i’m a wraith of sorts, hailing from the world of Cré Ullen, where the fiction you call ‘fantasy’ is an every day reality. I was ripped from my own world by sheer chance by this infernal device you have created. While I simply desire to return to my own existence, if I want to survive for any length of time, I need a host.”

Pausing, knowing the following words needed to be chosen carefully as they could make or break the situation, Adwyth continued.

“I understand that your daughter is plagued by a hereditary family illness, no?”

Clenching his jaw, Aliks softly responded, “Yes, she is…”

“So, she is dying, yes? With no prospective cure in sight?” she pressed further.

“You’re correct.” He responded, a tear running down his face.

“What if I not only told you that magic in my own world could erase this affliction, but that she could live a full life, subsequently? Despite her circumstance, your daughter seems to be a nearly perfect match for me. She isn’t rejecting the possession at all, and while I may be a monster, I prefer my prey to be adults with a guilty conscience, not an innocent child. I will help her find a life that she simply cannot have here.”

“Setting my emotions aside, the obvious question I would ask, at what cost?” He said, flatly.

“You will likely never see her again, lest she chooses to return and the magics of my world permit it. I will say I understand that is a grand, outlandish thing to promise, but your lovely Yula couldn’t even walk or get around without assistance, yet with my help her body stands before you.”

Taking a step closer to Adwyth, Aliks whispered, his voice barely audible.

“The real reason I started this gate project was to find a world that could save her. I lied to the others and promised to deliver salvation to this world, but I hate my species and their desire to syphon the life out of existence itself for their own twisted ends. Please, take her.” He choked through tears as he uttered the final words.

Running to a terminal and knocking over an aide that had finally summoned the courage to run down to the floor, Aliks wildly pressed buttons, while an alarm signaled that the machine was powering up.

Another aide called out, “Detain him! That being needs to be taken to the Council! It cannot escape!”

Yelling loudly as other aides rushed down to intercept Aliks, the man called out, “I typed in the coordinates that pulled you in and created the power surge. The moment a beacon of light appears, dive into it! I’ll keep them distracted!”

Raising Yula’s hands into the air, Adwyth screamed “Aliks, hold onto the device!” and a force of energy blasted out from the girl’s fingertips, sending the half dozen scientists that were trying to assault Yula’s father to the ground.

Turning to see the aforementioned pinpoint of light appear and swiftly grow to the size of a boulder, Adwyth dove into its blinding sphere, the world behind her dissolving as if washed away by a wave of the sea.

Yula, and the wraith inside, fell through an ocean of darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Out of the dark and into the depths 

After lifelessly falling through a darkness devoid of any light or direction, Yula suddenly found herself floating to the ground of a dimly lit room. Touching down like a stray leaf on an autumn breeze, the girl found herself planted firmly on a cold stone floor with a faint luminescent light emanating from invisible fixtures on the ceiling above.

When she was sure it was safe to sit up, she pushed herself off the ground and scanned her surroundings. It seemed she was in a cell of some kind, slightly ajar rusted iron bars acted as a pathetic door, with three walls of marble with strange runes carved into them in some language Yula couldn’t even begin to decipher. 

“We’re not in Kansas anymore, Adwyth.”

“(I thought your world was known as earth?)”

“It’s an ex... never mind that. Where are we? Some sort of dungeon?!” She quietly whispered, a strange excitement filling her voice despite the dismal setting.

“(Take us closer to the runes carved into the wall. Whatever notes former inhabitants of this cell left will tell us where we’ve landed.)”

Pushing herself to her feet, Yula found herself able to walk without aid, due to Adwyth’s life force now shared within her. The stone beneath her toes was damp and cold, yet there didn’t seem to be any mold or moss growing. Similarly, no cob webs lined any corners of the room, the entire place seemingly devoid of natural signs of life. 

Walking to the wall, enough light shone from above to make out the strange language carved into the stone.

“I can’t read it. Can you?” Yula asked aloud.

“(I can, mostly. It’s an archaic dialect, but in the common tongue nonetheless. We can thank our people for keeping some sense of uniformity over the last dozen centuries. Now, let us see what the poor wretches had to say, shall we?)”

Adwyth went silent as she seemed to be dwelling over the words and their meaning for several minutes. Afraid to interrupt, Yula simply waited patiently, hoping for some acknowledgement.

Finally, Adwyth spoke up, but with a tone of anxiety that Yula had not yet heard in her new partner’s voice. 

“(We have found ourselves in quite the predicament. Between my time in your world severed from a constant source of Mana and the trip here, I’m quite tired. I need to rest for an hour or two and draw in as much Mana as I’m able. We’re going to need everything we can get to leave this place safely.)”

“Um...” Yula murmured, confusion and fear spreading to her fingertips. It instantly landed on her shoulders that if a wraith like Adwyth was nervous, there was very good reason to be nervous. 

“(We have landed in a wing of Tohredden, the ancient repository for golems and homunculi leftover from the Aegis Crusade. I have no desire to take the time to delve into the many hours of historical discussion of the subject. I need you to simply stay out of sight of the gate in the corner and wait until I am somewhat recuperated.)”

“Oh... okay...” Yula responded, confusion evident in her voice now. 

“(If you hear voices, footsteps, any sounds of life or movement, whatever you do, promise me to not investigate them. It will only lead to death... or worse.)”

“I understand... I’ve read enough stories that warn of that sort of thing so I’ll just curl up out of sight.” Said Yula, actively trying to calm the obvious anxiety in her voice. 

Curling up in a corner out of the line of sight of the door, Yula wrapped her arms around her legs and huddled herself for warmth. Adwyth didn’t speak anymore on the subject and was presumably already resting to regain energy for their next exodus from danger.

 

——

 

With no idea how much time had passed before Adwyth spoke again, Yula nearly jumped out of her skin when the voice filled her thoughts once more.

“(It is time, child. Let us journey out of this disgusting mausoleum, and pray to whatever Earth god you see fit that we do not encounter any wandering inmates.)”

Rising to her feet, Yula walked to the barred door and slipped past the open space between the metal and the wall it once connected with. Her small frame didn’t have any trouble threading the needle between the two. 

Peering out into the hall, Yula carefully scanned the two directions she found available. One seemed to lead to lead towards more cells that occupied either side of the corridor, while the other lead immediately to a staircase leading up to another floor. 

“(We’re likely in a holding ward for particularly unstable individuals. We’ll want to head-)”

Distantly, in the direction of the other cells, a faint sobbing broke out in the silence, startling Yula.

“(Ignore it. Go up the stairs- now.)”

Nodding to no one, Yula turned and quietly stepped up the worn steps. As she traveled, the sobbing suddenly turned into echoing, deranged laughter, causing the hairs to stand up on the back of her neck and arms. It was manic and staccato, as if reason itself had abandoned the being long ago.

Turning a corner to head up another flight, the girl froze in her tracks upon seeing a contorted, twisted body in a corner of the staircase. Its face was pointed at the ground, its flesh pallid and lifeless. 

“(Do not speak or approach it. It’s likely dead after a scuffle with another inmate but we can’t be certain.)”

Her body now quivering, Yula turned back toward the ascending stairs and swiftly traversed up them. Upon reaching the top, the manic laughing below was now inaudible, whether the owner having finished or enough distance between had been created was uncertain. Ahead of the steps seemed to be a sort of guardhouse, with a strange shimmering light dissecting the room in half. 

Stepping closer, she hesitated to cross the threshold of the light. 

“(It’s perfectly safe to step through. It’s a ward of sorts to keep the residents below trapped in their own wing of the crypt.)”

Walking through the shimmering, wavering light, Yula felt a strange sense of warmth pass through her entire body. Nothing of consequence seemed to occur, so shrugging her shoulders, she stepped out of the room.

As her eyes adjusted to the light of the next hall, her jaw dropped. A vast room lay before her, filled with horrors and oddities her naive brain tried to understand. On either stretching wall was a moving scene of a meadow and blue skies that partially illuminated the room. It was so lifelike that for a moment she believed them to be windows, but realized they were some sort of trickery, like high definition nature scenes on a television that seemed to be on an infinite loop. 

Bookcase after bookcase created various aisles and rows, with volumes scattered messily about with very few shelves still filled. After as many centuries had passed as Adwyth commented prior, it’s likely they were nearly dust in such a poor, damp setting. 

What truly shook Yula wasn’t the various comforts that had been set up for the residents, it was the mounds of bodies and various corpses of what she presumed to be golems and homunculi scattered about. Scattered around the area haphazardly, there were random piles of various pieces of steel or stone limbs or torsos, with mangled or decapitated human looking entities in the mix. It seemed as if the residents had warred with each other and the survivors hauled their completely broken compatriots into mounds as to not inconvenience themselves. 

“(Yula, please heed my words as gospel. Do not interact with the bodies, do not speak aloud, and do not tinker with anything we pass. We’ll likely have to pass through dormitories or some kind of residential quarters before coming upon a way out.)”

“(You will likely hear voices. Although they seem dead and broken, most are not, simply in a comatose state. If you see anything moving or I sense a presence, you must hide. Do not hesitate. These beings despise all the clans of the elder spirits, whether they be Icelleon or otherwise. They have every right to do so as well. If they don’t outright try to kill you, they will teach you a lesson in pain.)”

"Icelleon?" Yula mouthed, unfamiliar with the term.

"(What you would call a "human" in this world. Descendants of the legendary queen Icella.)"

Trying to heed every word of warning, Yula didn’t audibly respond further, instead simply continuing onward quietly, weaving in and out of the minefield of danger the wraith had warned about. 

The twisted figures looked human, but even as a child, Yula understood readily that ordinary humans would merely be bones after twelve centuries, yet many of the bodies seemed to retain nearly all their flesh. Even stranger, while the air was certainly stale, it didn’t smell rotten or foul despite the archaic scenes of carnage frozen in time.

“(The various continents of Cré are wondrous and magnificent, defying any conceptions we as mortals can hold about the nature of beauty. There are heroes and saints that inspire goodness in the hearts of all but the most vile, as well. Still…)” she trailed off for a moment as Yula edged away from a still figure leaning back in a stone chair.

“(We are still mortals, our morals still falter, and sometimes the greater good makes us lose sight of behavior in the present of those around us.)”

Approaching a grey corpse hanging off a table, Yula silently gagged, covering her mouth to prevent any noise from escaping her lips. The gruesome scenes were beginning to wage war on her young mind’s sanity, as she desperately longed to leave this foul mausoleum. 

Scooting past, she heard a fell voice in the distance from where she entered the room. The words couldn’t be deciphered but a vague sense of primal dread spread through every inch of her skin, the hair on the back of her neck standing up. 

“(Let’s not linger, it’s possible something senses us. Unfortunately, I likely put off a presence of Mana large enough that beings that are sensitive to their traces would be able to feel my presence. Furthermore, there are worse things here than broken ‘toys’.)”

Not fully comprehending Adwyth’s words, the girl moved on until she saw a large archway with strange, tunic symbols above its frame. Within its space, there were two sets of stairs, one leading up, its neighbor leading down into pitch black depths. Pointing at the writing, Yula shrugged her shoulders as if to question their meaning to the wraith. 

“(Apologies, my memory of old Ullen script is a bit weathered but I believe it says, ‘Broken or naughty children and toys are to be cast below, while those who deserve praise, rest your weary heads above.)”

Exhaling deeply, Yula quietly slipped up the stairway, placing each foot carefully noticing that some of the stairs were damp. Besides the fact that a fall could create undesired attention, the edges of each step seemed quite sharp, despite that they were over ten centuries old, and could likely cause quite the injury if landed on. Worse yet but to no surprise, there was no railings anywhere to be seen. 

Although she was already familiar with many of the darker tales of fantasy, she hadn’t expected to find herself within one while daydreaming back in her hospital bed. While she was only twelve, due to the terminal nature of her illness on Earth, she had already come to terms with the tragedies of real life. Aliks had stopped trying to entertain the notion that a happy ending was in store for her despite trying to keep her optimistic. 

As the stairs seemed to go on endlessly, Yula paused for a moment to catch her breath and lean against a wall. While fatigue was inevitably natural considering the circumstances of her location, she marveled at how much strength she had due to both Adwyth and this world. On Earth, she could barely make it to the bathroom unassisted and subsequently had become used to an orderly or nurse having to help her through nearly all basic daily routines. She couldn’t help but wonder what other incredible things this power could accomplish. 

Out of the blue, Adwyth softly recited a melody that filled Yula’s limbs with warmth.

“(Sweet little chickadee, carried aloft by winds so warm, no matter how deep the skies may seem, you’ll find your home. Sweet bird so dear to me, lost within the dark, no matter how long the night may be, your song will bring the dawn once more.)”

Feeling a subtle, yet noticeable energy filling her legs, Yula smiled widely and continued up the stairs onward up the stairs. 

“(That was once a lullaby amongst my people that became a sort of basic folk incantation that would soothe children and infants, if your curiosity wondered. It’s a small enough speck of Mana that...” her words trailed off momentarily, “hopefully, it didn’t draw attention to us. While I’m not a mind reader fully, I can sense your moods, feelings, and the state your body is in.)”

Yula said nothing but ventured further until stopping dead at what seemed to be the last turn before the final flight of stairs.

A beautiful being with long, blonde hair was restrained to the wall with various cuffs and shackles. On either side of it, slightly detached from the body and nailed into the stone was a pair of ornate, wings, not unlike something depicted in artwork of angels. The feathers were dirtied and covered in soot and dust, with any original colors hidden beneath their down. 

Its skin was grey and sickly, its eyes cast towards the dismal stone floor. Even despite the grim circumstance, somehow Yula could see through the decay that this had once been a unfathomably breathtaking being during its life.

While the heaps of golem and homunculi below bred disgust and horror with their contorted features, this creature somehow evoked an overwhelming sorrow in Yula’s heart. It had a noble air about it, and whatever events brought it to be chained and left to die had to be fully evil beyond anything the young girl had read. 

“(A Kestra homunculus, I never thought I’d see one. While everything you’ve seen thus far in this prison is a crime, this was no tool of war. They were made to aid injured and fallen soldiers on the battlefield, bringing peace and tranquility to the hearts of the dying. It especially deserved a better fate.)”

After a moment more, Yula tore her gaze away from the beautiful creature to leave the room before a haggard whisper nearly made her leap out of her own skin.

“I knew I could sense the warmth of life.”

Frozen, Yula slightly backed away to see the head of the creature wearily raise upwards to face her. 

“Fear not, my heart has not grown savage like the others. I no longer hold any anger nor contempt towards any but the vile demon that imposed the warden on our ranks.”

“(Let me speak to it, I will simply borrow your voice.)” Adwyth murmured to the girl. 

“Kestra, I am a wraith guiding this child of Ivilith out of this foul prison. Even your people were imprisoned here?”

“Yes, we were still homunculi, and all the tools, regardless of use, were discarded into the pit once our usefulness ran out. At first this place was supposed to be a sort of Vadtja, as it were, to not only repay us for our service, but to keep us safe and at the ready were the realm of Uethern to return once more. Instead... well, you can see for yourself.”

“To say that this is a tragedy is simply not enough…” Adwyth trailed off momentarily, pondering something before bringing her attention back to the crippled Kestra. “Tell me, beautiful one, who is this ‘warden’ you speak of?”

“A creature that seems to perceive every weak point of its opponent before they even have a chance to assess their enemy. Worse yet, most homunculi and golems have some kind of mana core that powers their body, one that draws from the environment around them. It can pinpoint exactly where our center of mana is and cripple it.”

“That sounds terrifying, to say the least. Tell me, you speak of it like an abomination, surely it can’t be only because of its battle prowess.”

“Of course not,” the Kestra chuckled darkly, “It only uses its sight against anything it considers a formidable opponent. Well, you can plainly see what remains of my body and the way it’s displayed. I can also venture a guess that you journeyed forth from the depths below, so you surely saw the mounds of mangled corpses of my former comrades,” Pausing for a brief moment, its eyes grew dark, “It didn’t take us long to realize that the creature possesses the same abject cruelty its creator does.”

“Its creator…?” Adwyth asked, anxiety dancing around the edges of her voice.

“The Twilight Witch, Callista Gollundrun.” Her voice came flat and bitter.

A shudder passed through Adwyth’s body at the mention of the name. Some five hundred years prior to Adwyth’s birth, the Twilight Witch had been cast down, dismembered and sealed away in her mountain keep, Dimlight Terrace. There on out, the grounds of the fort had been declared forbidden, the neighboring kingdom of Werffod having walled off the entire place.

“While nothing can truly atone for the betrayal you have faced,” came Adwyth’s somber voice, “I can at least offer you some solace. The Twilight Witch is defeated and dismembered, a company of soldiers having overcame her within her own keep, Dimlight.”

Closing her eyes, the Kestra said nothing, however, several tears ran down her face as she pondered the news. Her lips quivered, evident that they wanted to speak, held back by knowing that no words could convey the complex mixture of emotions she currently felt.

“The only solace that brings is knowing that no others can suffer further the way we have here. I don’t feel the weight of the pain inflicted lifted from my weary shoulders, nor has my anger been sated to any degree, no, I simply wish for her actions undone.”

Adwyth shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say further. After several quiet moments passed without any words exchanged, the wraith lifted her head.

“Would you like to join us on our journey out of this crypt? It is the least I can offer.”

“No children, I am finally in the last throes of death. Leave me to the release I’ve wished for these many passing centuries. If Vadtja is real…” She coughed, the conversation finally taking a toll on her broken body, “I will either find my peace there, or demand to know why the gods unleashed the evils of the crusade and its ‘heroes’ on the innocent lives of the many.”

Bowing reverently to the fallen Kestra, Adwyth turned Yula’s body away from the scene and handed the reins back over to the girl. As if waking from a fever dream, she looked around groggy, only half aware of the conversation that had just taken place.

“(Don’t worry, that woman is finally free. From here on out, we need to keep an even lower profile, lest we want to meet the same cruel fate as she. There is a warden in this dungeon, and I don’t fancy the idea of it finding us. Shall we journey further?)”

Nodding, Yula stepped forward into the next room, unsure of what fate awaited the pair.


	3. Chapter 3

Although thus far Yula had been a trooper in the face of a terrifying situation, her nerve was beginning to run thin. Knowing that some looming monstrosity was lurking amongst the shadows that could very well end her life without warning was creating tremors of anxiety beneath her skin. Even Adwyth, who was now eerily quiet, was likely intently listening for the first signs of danger going even more than she already had been.

Pausing for a moment, Yula realized that Adwyth could likely sense or hear her thoughts, so decide do attempt an experiment.

“(Adwyth?)”

“(Yes child, I can I’m aware of your thoughts. Do you need to know something?)”

“(So what exactly is a homunculus? I’ve seen mentions of them fantasy books in my world, but have no clue what they are..)”

“(In my world... this world, there are spirits beyond number. Long ago magic crafters and spirit callers found ways to make pacts with them to inhibit an artificial body to serve the crafter. At first came the golems, clay, stone, or metal bodies with minor spirits who could do menial tasks or basic, brutal combat with little thought to strategy. Later, in an attempt to copy people, the homunculi were born.)”

Giving a few moments for the girl to digest her words, Adwyth then continued. “(These beings were a far more complicated affair. Being made of flesh and bone, they required stronger rituals forged by superior mages.)”

Resuming her pace through what seemed to be another commons area, this time many doorways lined the hall which lead to what the pair could only presume were living quarters. As she traveled forward, out of her periphery Yula noticed some glyphs etched into a wall to her right. Drawing closer, she leaned in so that Adwyth could decipher their meanings.

“(It would seem a prisoner left this waypoint to any comrades trying to find their way to the entrance. Would you like me to recite them?)”

“(Yes...)” the girl responded, a note of impatience to her tone.

“(To my scattered siblings in the cruel dark, the gates have been sealed. I have come down from the entrance hall. The quakes that threw us all to the ground was no natural tremor of the firm soil of Cré. We have been buried and forgotten like the bone of a thieving cur, our usefulness gone.)”

Only a dialogue of silence was exchanged between the pair. After a few minutes, Adwyth spoke once more.

“(Please, let’s continue. This was written a literal age ago and it’s possible either the spell has run dry or time itself has wrought destruction upon the hinges of the gates. It would be the worst failure to extinguish hope before we actually try.)”

Saying nothing, Yula turned and placed one foot in front of another, hoping to find a staircase leading up noting that the writing indicated the gates were somewhere above. A bitter flickering flame still wavered brightly within her soul and she wouldn’t let herself stop unless the fingers of fate themselves snuffed it out. 

Upon finding the next staircase with zero amounts of curiosity about the countless rooms, Yula suddenly froze upon hearing Adwyth’s alarmed voice filling her head. 

“(Yula, it’s important you listen and follow my exact instructions. I can see a crawl space beneath this set of winding stairs. Get under it- now!)”

Obeying without a hesitation, the girl dropped down on all fours and slid into the space, curling up to make herself as small as possible. Thankfully claustrophobia couldn’t stretch its nervous tendrils into her lungs since she was used to the cramp spaces of various scanning machines that had been used on her body back at the hospital. 

An at first distant shuffling suddenly grew very close as a rasping voice cut through the dark.

“Mana... and living Icelleon flesh.” A sputtering, filthy cough filled the air. “The Warden will be pleased to know of this. Maybe now...” the words trailed off momentarily and Yula’s heart leapt into her throat, knowing that the creature possibly knew she was there.

“Maybe now I will be free to feel the taste of sun and the kiss of wind upon my flesh once more. I would seek my revenge upon that vile witch and the thought-bearing children of the gods whom let my suffering continue.”

The footsteps grew closer and worked their way up the staircase as Yula remained motionless in her dark, hidden corner. Once the sound had finally disappeared, she crawled out of the crevice. 

“(Yula, unfortunately we must follow the path it took. If we encounter inescapable danger, I will do what can within reason to fight it. This will require your cooperation but I will do everything I can to aid you in escaping this foul pit. Do you understand?)”

Not responding, Yula rose to her feet and brushed off the grime of the floor. Sighing deeply, she began delicately traveling up the staircase, her feet landing softer than a mouse to avoid any more attention than the duo was apparently already raising.

Making their way up, they stopped at the next floor to find the entrance blocked by a pile of rubble, more than likely the survivors on the other side having attempted to blockade their cruel warden from entering. Not wanting to disturb the rubble, Yula turned and traversed the next flight of stairs, tip toeing past the occasional corpse that occupied a corner or hung limply over a railing. 

Upon finding an unobstructed doorway, Yula stepped through to find herself in a massive dining hall. It seemed painfully meticulous details were added to this prison to convince the now dormant inhabitants that they were truly being rewarded by the powers that be. No expense had seemingly been spared in crafting this cruel trick, and knots began to grow in the girl’s stomach.

Yula noticed, however, that this room was faintly lit by ghostly orbs of light floating several feet below the ceiling. Although they were mildly alarming to her, Adwyth said nothing so she assumed they were there purely to provide light and of no danger. 

Swallowing back down the reoccurring lump in her throat, Yula began wandering past endless rows of dining tables, some still furnished with primitive cups, plates, and utensils that had likely never seen a single use as the girl wandered aimlessly on her journey towards the entrance hall. Tapestries had been hung on the walls on either side of the dining tables depicting ferocious battles that were likely the war these hapless creatures had fought in the distant past.

“(Adwyth? Who did they fight in these battles?)”

“(That is a history lesson for another day under brighter skies than these, Yula.)”

Not wanting to be contrary and sensing a tone of finality about the subject, Yula didn’t argue with the wraith. It seemed that Adwyth had grown extremely tense and was likely not telling her host something.

After what felt like an endless march, a great arched gateway that was at least twenty feet wide and nearly twice as long in height greeted the pair like a gaping void. The path leading onward beyond its lip seemed to hold a darkness more impenetrable than anything they had felt before.

Lingering on the mantle of the dining hall, a chorus of whispering voices seemed to fill the air beyond, with Yula unable to determine if they were real or a figment of her imagination crafted by some primal fear that now gnawed on her heart. Yet, an unexplainable warmth filled her chest and what felt like an audible whisper founds its way into her ear.

“Awaken the strength within and you shall consume the darkness itself.”

Flipping around out of pure shock, Yula found no source to the voice. Only the empty, mournful dining hall still loomed hauntingly behind.

“(Yula..? Did you hear something?!)”

“Did you.. hear that voice?” She dared to whisper aloud in the dead air.

“(What voice..? Surely I would’ve heard it, too.)”

“It must’ve been my imagination...”

Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, Yula stepped into the sweltering dark and fumbled through, arms forward to guide her helpless eyes. Her footsteps were short and concise, unsure of what lay before her and hoping she would be blindsided by a pillar or worse, a corpse.

The fell whispers were no longer a figment of her imagination as she awkwardly moved forward. Now they were audible, some of them discernible.

“One of natural flesh decided to lower itself to our festering level finally, huh?”

“Do you think it knows I died for nothing?”

“Closer child, my breast would give you a mother’s warmth.”

“(Yula, continue onwards. Do not follow a single one of their voices. They would drag you to the depths of hell were they able. Suffer long enough and even the purest heart can be blackened...)”

“My body was once a beautiful thing, now it’s an endless feast for worms and moths and slithering creatures of the dirt.”

“Poor lost child, the warden is bored of us and needs fresh prey. He’ll be here soon.”

Laughter began to echo from several of the disembodied voices and spread like wildfire through the room, until a cacophonous din filled the room. Covering her ears, Yula tried to run forward until she abruptly crashed into a solid object that revealed itself to be a massive, stone door, leaving her wincing and sprawled on the ground.

As the chorus crescendoed to its peak, a distant thundering of feet could be heard. Trying to clamber to her feet, fear unlike anything she ever felt, even paling compared to the loom terminal illness that residing in her body, broke through the flood gates to drown the valley below. Her legs began to tremble so much that she was struggling to stay upright as tears poured down her face.

“(Yula! Please, listen to me. This is a passive magic created by this warden to weaken its enemies. Do not let this fear consume you! We will make a stand or find a way to open this door!)”

In a rhythmic pattern, the booming fair of feet drew closer and closer until finally they stopped, a hulking figure silhouetted in the center of the room. All at once the laughter hushed, leaving a deafening quiet only broken by a heavy breathing.

Not daring to move from the spot, the small girl slowly rose her gaze upwards to where she assumed the creature stood. She was unsure how much time passed before a light suddenly erupted from the ceiling, revealing the room before her. 

Throwing up her hands to shield her eyes, she waited for her eyes to adjust and her bravery to peak before peering out at the beast they titled “warden”.

Towering at least twelve feet tall, a massive gnarled creature with gray leathery skin stood at the center of the room. Gazing upon its face, a sensation beyond terror graced her cheeks with its kiss, draining the color beneath its lips leaving a pallid complexion behind.

Its legs were like tree trunks supporting the hulking creature, deformed and gnarled with three lumpy toes on each foot. Its arms seemed relatively meek by comparison, although they seemed to be crafted within an insane person’s nightmare.

Each arm was as long as its legs, but at the end of each was massive hands that seemed grossly disproportionate to the arm they connected with. Three long fingers and a thumb found their home on each one of these. Worse yet, was its face. 

Making eye contact, Yula audibly shrieked before quickly raising a hand to her mouth to stifle further sounds. Its face was almost like a porcelain doll. Where there should be eyes, two large empty holes found their place, not even truly sockets, but rather just empty orifices that revealed only blackness behind them.

It wasn’t this reason that Yula gasped, no, it was its gaping maw of a mouth. It seemed unable to completely close its jaw, and from the corners of its mouth black oozing drool leaked forth. After several moments, it finally opened, as if to speak, only to reveal its “teeth.”

Where teeth should be, short, stubby arms with wriggling fingers emerged from large, rotten looking gums that she could only imagine held prey in place and ushered them into the vile belly of the beast. Adwyth might’ve seemed terrifying to most humans, yet somehow she was a fluffy, adorable rabbit after having witnessed this monstrosity.

Shockingly, a childlike voice emanated from the abhorrent gullet. 

“How did an Icelleon being find itself within my halls?” A strange sniffing sound could be heard, “Oh? What’s that? It seems you carry a hitchhiker as well! A wraith or spirit of some sort! Did mommy leave you here for me?”

“(Yula, I will steal your voice once more. You are above conversing with this child of witch sin.)”

“Did she give you a name before departing this prison, creature?”

“Aww, I was hoping the child would speak with me but I suppose you’re good enough, wraith. Yes, she did, and a beautiful one at that! I am Atralux, the Fury Maw. She hid me away in a cocoon of silk and pain in the deepest halls and whispered those pure, guiding words while I still slept, wrapped in golden dreams of insatiable carnage.” 

As if remembering a fond, childhood memory, the foul creature continued, “‘Arise, when you’re ready to consume their unnatural flesh. Inflict pain like they’ve never imagined. Leave only the most useful to be your servants, and I will return again someday to lead you from this cradle.’”

“Do I dare ask what plans you have in store for my gracious host?” Adwyth asked, scathingly.

“Despite the many pondering questions one should ask of someone who managed to both find and enter this vault without using the front door, the appropriate entrance that polite visitors would use, there are no plans beyond devouring her flesh. It simply HAS to have a better taste than these worthless imitations of life!”

Turning Yula’s gaze to either side of the room, mounds of decayed and twisted corpses of golems and homunculi were piled up. Atralux was such a horrifying spectacle that it was easy to miss the otherwise obvious, horrid shapes that had been right before their eyes. Even had the poor wretched souls been guilty of some past crime, this punishment was far too revolting for all but the most evil of war criminals.

“It’s poor humor for an abomination such as you to call these wondrous creations an ‘imitation’. Besides, you’re a fool to think we would perish without a fight. I’m the most minor of shades in your wake, yet I am no slouch.”

“Surely one of these pathetic toys told you? My eyes might be empty but their gaze is not. I can peer into the heart of any creature that walks and see every single weakness they possess. Behold!l

Raising its sickly arms toward the ceiling, a dull twinkle shone within the empty sockets as the menacing face glowered down at them.

“Wraith! You simply need to lose your host and you’ll eventually wither and die like a sapling beneath the desert sun! As for the Icelleon child...”

A burning sensation suddenly filled Yula’s chest, spreading a calming warmth outwards up through her face and down to the very tips of her toes. Her heart beat began to slow down, no longer racing to outpace the overwhelming dread the beast inspired.

“(Adwyth, is this sensation from Atralux?)”

“N-no.. Yula, this is something else..”

An ear splitting shriek rang out against the cold walls and the beast smashed a massive fist into the ground that shook the room. 

“LI-AR! LIES! I can’t see ANYTHING! Not even the strongest of homunculi can resist my gaze! So it’s a filthy, twisted LIEEEE THAT YOU ARE ICELLEON! WHY WOULD YOU LIE TO ME ABOUT THIS?!”

Feeling that she could control her own voice once more, Yula stumbled over her words, “Ad.. Adwyth.. what’s happening? What does... that thing mean?!”

“(Yula, I... I don’t know. I think being exposed to Mana and this creature has awoken something inside of you.. you’re radiating energy like a beacon right now.)”

“You aren’t even FIT to be DEVOURED! YOU COULD ROB ME OF MY SIGHT! I WILL CRUSH YOUR PATHETIC CORPSE, LIAR!”

Without warning and faster than Yula thought the grotesque creature could move, a massive fist hurdled towards her. Reflexively as if someone was guiding her body with an invisible hand, she leapt out of the way long before it found its mark. As the fist landed, the stone cracked and groaned beneath the impact. 

“HOLD STILL, INSECT!”

Another massive blow traveled towards the girl who nimbly leapt over its grasp and watched as it crashed through one of the corpse mounds, sending remains and debris in every direction. 

“SHADOWS! HEED MY CALL AND GIVE ME YOUR BLADES OF THE NIGHT!”

As if possessed by some unseen entity, the shadows in the corners of the room began to slither like worms from their hiding places and rising into the air to form various, translucent hovering daggers. 

Pointing a gnarled finger toward Yula, the beast roared, and the blades shot like arrows through the stale air, at least a dozen of them sailing forth. The girl cowered and raised her hands to shield her face as if they would be able to protect against such an attack, only to hear a voice inside her head scream, “(I DON’T THINK SO!)”

Erupting from her body, the shadowy form of Adwyth emerged halfway out of the girl’s body, her arms and hands rushing toward the blades. With a wide, sweeping blow the wraith interrupted the flight path of the attack, their forms disappearing like wisps of smoke on a breezy day.

Howling with rage, Atralux slapped at the ground beneath its feet and gesticulated wildly as it screamed “MY FORM INSPIRES CRIPPLING FEAR! MY EYES SEE WEAKNESS BENEATH FLESH AND STONE! IT’S! NOT! FAIR!” 

An eerie wailing began emitting from the abomination, like a spoiled child not getting its way. Yet, in spite of its terrifying form and undeniable power, it was almost a pathetic, pitiful display. 

Amidst the commotion, a faint, red glow began to emanate from Yula’s hands. A peculiar strength seemed to accompany it, and a strange urge ran through the girl’s gut.

“(Now what?!)”

“Adwyth... I can’t explain it but I need to place my hands on Atralux. I have no idea what will happen... but something in my gut is telling me to do this.”

“(Well, I have no idea what’s happening and I don’t see any better choices. By all means.)”

Looking up at the raging monster, Yula took off running towards its monstrous form. Noticing this immediately, it threw both fists forward. Expecting this, she immediately jumped upwards and landed firmly on Atralux’s arms, and without missing a beat ran up them towards its hideous face.

Before the demon could react, Yula outstretched her arms wide and placed her hands on its cheeks, the light now radiating from them. Atralux froze for a moment, transfixed by the girl’s insane play, both parties genuinely unsure of what would transpire next. 

In seconds, the beast collected its wits and shook its enormous head violently, sending Yula flying towards a heap of corpses. Landing flat, knocking the wind out of her lungs, she collapsed into a heap, her gaze stuck on the monster.

Glowing handprints remained where her palms had made contact for those several seconds, yet nothing yet seemed to be occurring. Seemingly unfazed, Atralux strode over to the heap and with one hand lifted the the girl from the mess gently in its grasp.

“You... what... what are you? You’re no ordinary... child...” Atralux groaned in a surprisingly weak voice.

“Please, don’t drag this out. I’m not afraid to die, I was already going to in my own world anyways.”

Atralux said nothing, only a strange coughing came from its maw. 

“C’mon! Stop clutching me like some grandma’s ugly, antique tea cup! I’m so tired of being afraid, whether it be of a disease or some monster from a psychopath’s fairy tale!”

“(Yula...)” began Adwyth softly. 

“What?”

“(I don’t think its hold on you is gentle to have a polite conversation,)” Adwyth responded, thoughtfully after a few moments, “(Rather, whatever you did, its weakened it tremendously.)”

Lifting the pair off the mound and shifting to face the door, Atralux finally spoke, the coughing now a dry wheezing.

“I... didn’t get to see my mother again. When the locusts of Tethern fell upon our village... they mercilessly killed everyone. I was hurt... and I thought I had seen one of their grim knights impale her on its blade.”

Pausing a moment to clear some unknown lump in its throat, it then continued.

“Despair... it filled my chest. I curled up into a ball and closed my eyes, wishing for the end to grace me with its fingertips. Yet...” pondering its memories a moment, it lowered Yula to the ground and released her. “How many hours passed, I couldn’t say, but I opened my eyes to see her standing over me, the same, kind smile worn across her face.” 

“She lifted me off the cold, weathered ground and brought me to this place. Within the darkest depths, she placed me in a strange cocoon connected to various... contraptions. She laid down several containers that she said contained the sadness, despair, and pain that the villagers felt during their final moments...”

At this point, Yula gasped seeing that Atralux’s body was beginning to dissolve into a murky, black pool that was slowly spreading out across the floor. It moaned, and crumpled down onto what one could guess was its stomach. The flesh on its arms began to fall clean off the bone as it withered pathetically before their eyes.

“She... said that I would be born anew, beautiful only to her eyes and that... I was to consume and punish the denizens of this prison. She told me she would return...” Choking on its own words, it seemed unable to speak, finally devolving into a lumpy mass in the center of the revolting mess. 

Yula stood transfixed, somehow feeling a great sadness for the creature washing over her body despite having been its prey mere moments earlier. Seeing only an oval shaped mass remaining where the creature had just stood, the girl walked over to examine it. 

Once she was within inches of the ovular object, a splitting seam ran down the center, releasing a strange hissing steam as it went. Pulling back momentarily, in case the gas was toxic, Yula leaned forward once more as the mass finished splitting. 

Inside, much to her shock, was a naked, pale, lifeless body of an adolescent boy, likely not much older than her, lying in the carnage. Staring at the motionless body, she was unable to speak, her young mind overwhelmed by everything that was happening. 

Several homunculi, likely now former servants of Atralux, shuffled over and lifted the child from the cocoon and solemnly walked into the darkness, no words exchanged between themselves or Yula. The latter, feeling quite dizzy, turned to face the door that had previously barred their escape had now vanished, hinges and all, leaving a wide gateway into a cave of sorts. 

Wearily walking forward through the gateway, she noticed her hands no longer had any light emitting from them and felt quite weak. The entire encounter had left her traumatized beyond anything she could’ve hoped to put into words, wanting only to feel the sun’s kiss or the skies fresh breath once more. 

As she made her way into the cave, she heard the sound of shutting doors. Turning to look over her shoulder, the doors were once more in place, shutting out any outsiders from reentering the foul dungeon.

Feeling a comfort about this, she lowered herself to the ground, assuming the fetal position. Her breaths were tired and sore, not having ever exerted herself this much before, her muscles screamed for a reprieve. Now, knowing the ordeal was finished, they commanded her to rest and she refused to disobey.

“Adwyth... I’m going to take a nap...”

“(Sleep child, you’ve earned it. We’ve both witnessed unspeakable horrors of the old world. I.. I have seen things, but nothing quite like that.. you contended with a horror of Callista Gollundrun and came out victorious. Probably the first to say that in many, many centuries since her death.)”

“(Soon we can find our way out of this tunnel and...)” the wraith trailed off, interrupted by snoring from the weary girl who had already drifted off. She chuckled, muttering to herself, “(But sleep first, for a new day awaits when you wake.)”


	4. Chapter 4

Yula had no idea how long she dreamlessly slept in the darkness of the tunnel leading away from Tohredden. Adwyth herself also used this time to go into the stasis like trance she used prior to recover her mana reservoirs, feeling heavily taxed from their battle with Atralux. 

The girl’s young body throttled the wraith’s mana usage nor allowed for her strongest abilities to be conjured. If anything, she worried it might crush her already jeopardized constitution that had been so frail in her own world. Though, perhaps that wouldn’t be the case, considering the strange display that had occurred. Whatever power Yula had used, it wasn’t a magic the wraith had seen in use before. 

“(I need to keep her away from any Devout, if I can help it. They’ll either use her as a weapon or condemn her as a monster. I won’t have them use her the way they did me.)”

Feeling a stirring in the girl, Yula slowly lifted her head from the floor of the cave. Futilely, she attempted to blink away the darkness to no avail. 

“Adwyth?”

“(Yes, dear child?)”

“Did.. I sleep long?” 

“(For a time, yes. However many hours, that I’m not sure of. More importantly, how do you feel?)”

“Thirsty... and my head hurts. I want to get out of here, I can’t bear another minute down here.”

“(Neither can I. Let us leave this place lest that door potentially opens once more.)”

Slowly rising off her feet, Yula brushed herself off, despite being unable to see nearly anything. Extending her arms forward, she fumbled through the empty darkness.

“(This is no good. I worry you’ll fall into an open shaft or stumble into a slumbering beast. Let me borrow you voice for a moment and I’ll cast a simple illumination spell.)”

Softly grunting in acknowledgement, Yula waited for Adwyth.

Muttering in an unknown tongue, the spell began to take affect from Adwyth’s strange words. 

Specks of light emerged from her fingertips and danced back and forth between each digit until they swirled together into a ball of light above the center of her palm. A sharp glow burst from the orb that lit several feet around the duo in every direction as it slowly rose into the air, hovering just above Yula’s head.

Giving the reigns back to Yula, Adwyth whispered gently, “(Shall we?)”

Trudging through the darkness of the cave, Yula’s socks immediately grew damp and uncomfortable, not having had shoes in recent memory and being so overwhelmed in the prison to remember that her feet had been somewhat exposed this entire time. 

As they followed the now dimly lit trail, a steady upwards occurred in the path signifying they were gaining altitude towards the surface above. Yula panted and quietly wheezed as they went, growing exhausted due to her feeble legs never having traversed a path outside a hospital for several years. Likewise, thirst and hunger were beginning to set in, weakening her further. 

As they slowly made their way continually up the path without words, Adwyth hadn’t yet brought up a mystifying question that had been lingering in her mind since they had arrived in Cré Ullen. Yula seemed to possess no disease as the wraith had examined her several times since their arrival. Had it been cured the moment the wraith first entered her body, or was something else at play that she didn’t recognize?

What’s more, the strange episode that had lead to Atralux’s defeat was a puzzle to the wraith. The glowing red light and the way the strength the sickly girl possessed was otherworldly, even by the standards of Cré Ullen. 

If she could unwittingly harness such power as an unpolished child, it was no doubt that given time Yula could become an awe inspiring, and possibly unparalleled, warrior. Adwyth recognized it would be critically important to prevent such a child from falling into the hands of the Devout, the Terragen, or any other less than reputable faction that held sway. 

What’s more, Yula was not showing a single sign of corruption yet, unlike every other host Adwyth had once occupied.

Eventually, the path leveled off, and Yula stopped to catch her breath, panting shallowly. 

“(Yula! There’s light ahead!)”

Raising her gaze slightly, the girl whimpered in relief, knowing the end of the ordeal was in literal sight. Without wasting a moment, she scurried off towards the sliver of sunshine until it grew larger and larger. 

Almost slipping on the damp cave floor, Yula came sliding to a halt at the entrance, hand raised to shield her eyes from the intensity of the midday sun. She had been underground for at least a day, if not more, and her eyes were hesitant to embrace the light as swiftly as she was.

After several minutes of adjusting to the bright, warm day outside, Yula peered a forest beginning at the bottom of the hill below the cave. Greenery met every piece of earth and stone leading up to the cave’s entrance, various flowers, mosses, and lichens growing out of any crevice they could find. A majority resembled flora found in various books and images she had seen on Earth, yet a good many still were completely foreign to her. 

“Where are we, Adwyth? Does any of this look familiar?”

“(Eh... somewhat? Tohredden was never marked on any maps, so that doesn’t help us. The mountains off in the distance could potentially be the Dragonspine range, judging by the jagged peaks and erratic shape. If that’s the case, that would place us in northwestern Ullen. The nearest major city would likely be Drendes to the south, an independent city state controlled by the Marstuhl family and their council of nobles. Further west is the port Stone Hammer Harbor.)

“Are those... safe places to go?..”

“(Drendes should be, especially if we can find a Wayfairer convent. Stone Hammer is... a rough place. Full of longshoremen, sailors, and fishermen, with many having moonlighted as pirates. Not a crowd I want an impressionable, young mind to be around.)”

“I’m still so thirsty... and I feel dizzy...”

“(Let’s fine you some water, child.)”

Slowly working their way down the hill, the pair came across the remains of a half eaten animal. The corpse looked like an elk, but it’s antlers somehow seemed far grander and elaborate, the animal as a at least twice as large than its Earthen counterpart. 

“What... did that?”

“(We cannot linger, judging by the area, this was likely the prey of a thorn drake. Though... it seems unusual it left so much still uneaten. Still, we don’t have time to dwell on that, let’s move onwards.)”

Scurrying past the fallen beast, Yula began grinning ear to ear. Sure, the prospect of being savagely killed and potentially eaten by a wild animal did raise some level of fear, but it begged a question that made her tingle with excitement.

“Dragons are real?!” She whispered excitedly.

“(Regrettably, they are. Several grand and greater dragons have achieved a level of sentience surpassing any ordinary citizen and achieved sovereignty from their wild kin and innate nature. Most are... savage, to say the least. Unless they possess the ability of speech and declare themselves allies of the free peoples of Ullen, they are to be disposed of on sight if spotted near any settlement, as stated by The Common Law Edict.)” 

Adwyth continued, “(Opportunists in the past have valued their raw power and unparalleled level of aggression and used them for terrorism and war for ages. A cruelty to both the creature and the victims of the attacks alike.)”

Stopping a moment, Yula stood quietly and tried to strain her ears to listen past the natural sounds of the forest. Throughout the various thickets and canopy above, songs from nearly a dozen species could be heard merrily filling the air. The chattering of unseen rodents both in the trees and forest floor accented the competition of natural symphonies. 

“I think I hear running water nearby..” Yula said to herself.

Trying to stay on a natural path as to avoid disturbing any unseen sleeping or hidden denizens of the forest, Yula stumbled awkwardly away from the abandoned prey of the thorn drake. Between her doddering muscles coupled with dehydration and a lack of food the past day or two, she was finding herself rapidly slowing down, having to rest frequently against trees to catch her breath. 

Still, the babbling of a brook begin to audibly join the natural song of the forest. Sensing it was to their right, she cut off the path she had been following and stepped over rock and undergrowth until a beautiful, crystal clear stream revealed itself, jaggedly cutting a path through the heart of the forest.

Branching from the direct path of the stream, a still pond filled a clearing nearby, several deer having taken a break from their grazing to sip at the water’s edge. Following the example of the deer, Yula quietly slipped down to her knees and cupping both hands together, filled them with the cool water. Although she was entirely removed from polite society, not wanting to appear uncouth, she tried to sip the water as politely as possible without making a single slurp.

Under ordinary circumstances she’d have never drank untreated water, but somehow potential illness wasn’t outweighing the prospect of dying of dehydration, especially when such a beautiful, crystal font presented itself as it had. The entire scene was picturesque, something straight out of one of her books, the only element missing being elves or nymphs. 

Straightening herself out after having her fill, the next order of business was food and shelter, and ideally a better set of clothing than the sweater, scrub pants, and now thread bare socks she had been using up until now.

“Adwyth? Are there any peaceful... inhabitants... of this forest? Maybe one who can point us in the right direction that isn’t the thing of nightmares?”

“(Well... unless my senses are deceiving me, there’s one watching us right now. Though, her home is not somewhere suited for us.)”

Cautiously scanning the clearing, Yula couldn’t see anybody else occupying the area. However, it didn’t take long to realize the deer were no longer drinking but all standing at attention, staring eerily at the now perplexed girl. 

Giggling filled the hollow and a bubbles began to churn in the center of the previously still pond. Swirling around on a small, circular point as if by an invisible kitchen mixer of some kind, the water shot upwards into a pillar, casting mist into the air that hit the rays of sunlight filtering through the canopy, creating illuminated rainbows in their wake. 

The pillar suddenly dispersed downwards back into the pond with a splash, revealing a rather peculiar looking woman. 

Her skin was a pale shade of blue, while her hair was the darkest azure shade, so rich it seemed to have been spun and threaded into her scalp by Poseidon himself. Her eyes shone gold and radiant, visibly glowing in the clearing’s light. Her body was naked, her build lanky and delicate, wielding a wild, untamed sort of beauty. 

“What, pray tell, does a child of Ivilith harboring a wayward wraith in her bosom need in this forest? The door leading to a betrayal frozen in time was momentarily open, and now a most frail child has made its way to the edge of my pond? Curious things, these occurrences are.”

Yula stumbled over a jumble of words, both unsure of what to say, as well as not wanting to stare at this naked being whom apparently found clothing a trifling annoyance. 

“Oh... that’s right, the city builders are a touch averse to nudity so stark as ours. One moment, child.”

Waving a hand in front of herself, a sparkling, ornate tunic suddenly cast itself over her body, her nakedness hidden in an instant. 

“The dryads, nymphs, and sprites have been whispering to one another today. So many oddities in our humble, quiet wood. We are well to do and sleepy, not like those bustling and often dreary forests with ill gotten names that house all manner of unsavory creature. Our few and far between thorn drakes are the exception, and they are tolerated because they drive  
away seedy, unwanted guests!”

“I.. I came out of the mountain, just over there.” Yula awkwardly gestured towards the path from which they had arrived. “Cré Ullen is not my home, and I just want to find shelter and food. Nothing too wild and certainly not… ‘seedy.’” 

“Out of that mountain right there? Ha! You’ve got a good sense of humor! It’s no matter how you arrived, we’ll see to that an innocent child is guided out safely. Though, your hitchhiker…” She paused for a moment, eyes narrowing on Yula, “They haven’t brought calamity on your shoulders yet, I presume, but remember this; be wary of anyone with any kind of perceptive sight, they may not be as open minded as you seem to be.”

Swallowing a sudden lump in her throat down as best she could, Yula nodded quietly at the advice.

Lazily waving to a doe that was still eerily watching the exchange, the sprite motioned It closer while seemingly addressing it as if it was another person. 

“Send my apologies to the dryads, I know I’m overstepping my bounds asking you this favor, but could you please lead this child out? I don’t want innocent blood on my hands and the fewer Icelleons we have lingering, the better. Gods above know they and the other tribes of the Ulda know how to make trouble for everyone, themselves included.”

Strangely, the doe seemed to nod in acknowledgement to the sprite, and sauntered towards Yula as if the request to guide a human was an every day affair. The doe gracefully leapt from the ankle deep water towards the edge of the glade, landing gracefully on the grassy bank. Turning its gaze back to an open mouthed Yula, it seemed to be beckoning her to join its side.

Not wanting to be rude, yet bewildered as all previously held rational beliefs she had about the behavior of ungulates and their kin were whisked away, she found her feet and scurried to catch up with her new guide. 

Unsure of what meaningful gesture of thanks to give the sprite, Yula gave a curt bow to the beast whom closed its eyes and seemed to return the gesture. Turning towards the pond, she yelled quite meagerly, “Thank you!! I’ll never forget your kindness and promise I’ll repay this… this debt!” Bowing in the same manner now towards the sprite.

Bowing in return, the sprite turned away, muttering to herself, “I’d be willing to bet the ocean’s most prized pearls that girl is going to shake the entire world. Still, at least she’s polite! More than I can say for the rest of her kin...”

Following the doe onto solid ground, an unfamiliar sound of crunching leaf litter met the girl’s ears as her bare feet met their fallen forms. Timidly, Yula realized how little she had been truly taking in of her surroundings since arriving in this world, overwhelmed by the dread of Tohredden and only wanting to heed Adwyth’s advice for survival. Now that the danger had passed, it was donning on her the wealth of information that was teeming at every fingertip and toe.

Everything that had been greeting her senses was completely foreign, the only memories of nature or anything green beyond a hospital room was so far in the past that it could only be viewed through the fuzzy, dreamlike lens of early childhood. The fever dream of the first several years of life proved to be an unreliable source of reference for what she was now experiencing, the haze that young eyes held over the world distorted any definitive interpretation of existence as it really stood.

Realizing she had never seen a deer in person, let alone stood next to one, Yula cautiously reached her fingers out slowly to the passive beast. Her hand shot back for a moment, realizing the creature’s fur was bristly and thick, not soft and fine like she imagined it to be. Placing a hand of its side, she could feel its gentle, rhythmic breathing and warmth that seemed to radiate from its fur.

The doe not only seemed completely unperturbed by the encounter, it then closed its eyes and lowered its head, indicating submission to the child.

“(Yula, I think she’d like it if you scratched behind the ears.)” Adwyth whispered in an amused tone. The wraith had never seen an encounter quite like this, barring the elusive spirit caller shamans she had seen on a sparse number of occasions as a child.

Reaching up, a smile spreading across Yula’s face, she found a spot just behind the doe’s ears, giggling as it nuzzled her affectionately in response to the affection. The idyllic scene last for several quiet minutes as the wraith marveled at the beast’s ability to perceive the child’s kind, meek nature. This was a much needed moment of warmth after the trials they had already faced with nearly the roughest landing imaginable one could have in Cré Ullen. 

Adwyth did not want that trauma to permanently taint the child’s soul.

After a time, the doe raised its head and began to trot away to bring their attention back to the task at hand. Yula was now beaming in a way Adwyth hadn’t seen yet, but the latter found herself relieved, and the pair followed their guide. The rest of the forest around them seemed completely uninterested in the scene that would’ve proven otherworldly on Earth, every creature present completely uninterested in the strange travelers.

As their march winded through the forest, laughter suddenly could be heard carried through the canopy above their heads, carefree and curious about the child below. Yula grew somewhat concerned, unsure if these were beings to be fearful of in this alien world, or if they simply another fairy like being that found her presence amusing.

“(They’re likely dryads or wood pixies. Harmless unless you’re cutting down their particular tree of residence.)” Came Adwyth’s voice right on cue to ease Yula’s nerves.

“Child of Ivilith, I hope you found our forest pleasant and your hosts amicable!” Came a musical voice, seemingly echoing from all directions.

Pausing, Yula scanned the area and stopped as her gaze rounded 3 o’clock, seeing a slender woman leaning against an ancient oak, her hair so red it seemed ablaze, patches of bark and moss covering most of her greenish skin. She seemed to resemble a spriggan of English myth, yet appeared to be very human in appearance despite the life literally growing from her skin.

“Are you…” Yula paused, stopping dead in her tracks, “A.. a spriggan!?”

“An astute observation, nevertheless from the mouth of a child! Many dismiss me as my cousin kin, the dryads, but I am a Mossflower spriggan, not a Nettlewreath like your people most commonly skirmish with, and although both fruit of the same tree, we could not differ more in customs or philosophy!”

Shrugging, Yula stated matter of factly, “I wouldn’t really know about that, I’m not from this world.” 

Perplexed, the forest spirit drew closer, revealing herself to be at least six feet tall yet so slender that were she human, you would think she weighed that of a feather. “Unheard of,” an eerily curious tone draped over her response, “Would you then claim to be from the unassailable shores of the western horizon, beyond the lands of Ullen, Telgassa, Ruczt, and Olberruhn?”

“I…” pondering how to explain herself, “I was not born in Cré. I arrived through a portal of dark abyss that connects this world to mine.” She finished, thoughtful and proud of her explanation.

“I’d ask if that were a jest but I can tell by your tone you tell no lie. Curious, you are a child of extraordinary claims and an aura of sincerity that supports it. I don’t know what the spirit traveling with you has said, but please, heed some advice from a concerned bystander.”

Nodding, Yula motioned for the spriggan to continue.

“My friend warned you to not speak of the spirit, and I’ll add this advice with it: do not speak of your origins to the city dwellers, either. Spirits, wanderers, and those who call the wilderness home see no need to question one’s origins, simply their character and actions. The city building tribes of the Ulda seek to wall away the wilds that originally birthed them, and the ones that promote that way of thought do not like interlopers like yourself. Do well to remember that.”

“Al-alright… I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for the safe passage through your forest. We saw the corpse of that elk and Adwyth mentioned something about a thorn drake? So we didn’t know what to expect…” responded Yula, awkwardly while staring down at her now torn up socks.

“Oh, him? Don’t mind that. He’s some of the muscle that helps us keep troublemakers out of the forest. We don’t want the reputation of harboring bandits or outlaws, but I’m sure Cyrin recited the same adage.”

Bowing to the spriggan, Yula thanked her for the advice. As she was about to turn to continue their path out of the forest, the spriggan spoke one final time.

“I would hate to see those young, delicate feet cut and scarred by the rough paths of the plains. Please, take these and think of them as a gift from the fairies.” She said, an almost maternal tone to her voice as she spoke.

Waving a hand and snapping a pair exceedingly thin fingers, a pair of verdure moccasins appeared in the hair, a soft glow about them. After a moment, the shoes landed in her other hand, outstretched just beneath them, which she extended forward towards the girl.

Yula raised her head and stepped forwards, a look of awe on her face. Her eyes began to water and she graciously took the shoes, slipping them on without delay. Bowing once more, she cried out, “I promise to repay this debt and kindness someday, somehow!”

Giggling at the emotional response, the spriggan waved a hand. “Think nothing of it. Follow this road out of the forest, and at the crossroads ahead, take the southern path to reach Drendes. As far as I know the Wayfairers are still active in the city and should be able to take you in. They’ll not only give you a warm bed and meals, but educate you as well. In return, they’ll expect you to work, but worry not, they’re no slavers, they simply want to teach orphans the skills they’ll need to survive in this world.”

Speaking softly, Yula spoke, “Once more, thank you… I hope that someday our paths will cross again.”

“As do I, fair child.” The spriggan spoke kindly back.

Before embarking, Yula immediately found the slippers to be incredibly soft and comfortable, fitting her feet perfectly. Although she still needed better clothing than her current outfit, this was a good start until she made it to Drendes, where these ‘Wayfairers’ could hopefully dress her appropriately for any further adventures in the world of Cré Ullen.

“(To have received such a gift and hospitality, you must’ve made quite the impression on them. Most of your kind wouldn’t be graced with such kindness, rather, they’d simply never reveal themselves and let them wander until they had their fill of trees.)”

Wandering to the edge of the wood where trees and bush grew sparse and gave way to open fields, Yula looked up to an uninterrupted sky above. The playful forest people had been a gentle reprieve from the horrors of the mountain that still clung ever so slightly to her sides. She had recovered well from the ordeal, but anxiously wondered what lay ahead on her journey into this strange, magical world.

Walking down the worn dirt path that stretched out into the horizon beyond with fields of verdant grass on either side, Yula steeled herself for whatever would come next, whether it be fortune or mishap, as hope trickled into her chest for the first time in her twelve short years of life. There was now hope that there’d be a future in store that didn’t involve being confined to a bed, sickly and weak.


	5. Chapter 5

They had been on the road heading south toward Drendes for hours, and despite Adwyth’s best attempts at lending strength to Yula’s under-developed body, numbing out the strain of the now overworked muscles was beginning to tire both of them. Eventually, at some point, they would need to find a place to rest, let alone procure water and food from a traveler that had any to spare.

Still being a great enough distance outside of the city, the grasslands on either side of the road held little of value as far as resources, other than a place to hide from any unseemly travelers or highwaymen. Despite this, the wraith knew that it was probably a good time to slide down into the next ditch that presented itself. Yula had been so strong and had pushed all this way without complaint, it was time she was rewarded with rest once more.

Likewise, the sun itself heralded that the time for sleep was nigh, its brilliant tangerine rays setting the western sky ablaze. In its weary death march to make way for the night’s unstoppable chariots, the final descent burnt off any remaining clouds that yet lingered on a horizon, building a path for the blanket of stars that would follow their trail over the coming hours. 

Settling off the road in a particularly sheltered ditch, the pair’s decision wasn’t a moment too soon as a cold breeze came off the road above as the night sky advanced further, plunging the land in darkness. The grass beside them towered over Yula’s head, keeping her out of sight from the road. Better still, the vegetation helped hold in the sun’s heat from the day, keeping things relatively pleasant despite them having no proper clothing for the night.

As the girl rested, her stomach began to loudly growl, not having had any sustenance beyond the water in the forest. Trying to ignore the pangs of hunger, Yula curled up in a ball, sinking slightly into the soft soil beneath her form. Knowing the girl was exhausted, Adwyth chimed in with some advice she hoped would be helpful.

“(I… I know it’s not going to sound appealing, but your body needs anything it can get right now. Do you see the yellow weeds growing between the tall green stalks..?)”

Opening her eyes slowly, Yula grunted in acknowledgment as she peered at the plant Adwyth was describing. It had a somewhat weak, ochre colored frame, barely holding up a fat globular pod at the end of each stem. There seemed to be an abundance of the weed intertwined through the underbrush despite having a pathetic view of the sun which was blocked by their taller compatriots overhead.

Plucking a pod off and taking a sniff before popping it into her mouth, Yula noticed there didn’t seem to be much of a scent to the plant. She braced herself for a bitter nectar to stick to her gums and teeth like a waxy, cheap caramel yet, surprisingly, found that it was quite easy to stomach. There did seem to be a sort of gummy nectar that tasted like a stale, very bland syrup, though not like anything in particular she could name offhand. 

“It’s.. not bad..” the girl wearily mumbled after picking another off a stem to eat.

“(They aren’t anything you could sustain yourself with long term, but in a moment of need like this, they can save a life. I don’t know if a scholar has properly named them, but I’ve always called them Golden Pods, though admittedly that’s a bit lacking in creativity.)”

“Where did you learn that..?” 

“(Many, many years ago when I was young and got lost on one of the farms at the edge of our village’s land,)” she said, thoughtfully. “(We had to both live off our crops and sell them, so we only took extra during a time of great need, and we were all taught survival tips for exactly that kind of occasion.)”

“Where is your village, Adwyth? Is it a nice place?”

“(It was, yes, but it’s long gone. Absorbed by a nearby garrison and now just a satellite to the growing capital.)”

“What of your family? Your people?” She asked, her lids dropping.

“(I was the only child and the light of my parents eyes. They... passed away from illness while I was away in service of the capital. After that, well...)” she trailed off, sensing Yula had fallen asleep. 

The wraith willed the shadows around them to shroud the girl’s withered form the best they could, wishing only for her safety. Yula had the same brightness radiating from her soul that Adwyth had once possessed as a young girl, back when she was still been known as Brynna. However, that was an age ago and the child did not need that tale borne upon her upright shoulders, at least, not for another decade or so. 

The only thing that still troubled the wraith were the events under the mountain. Even the most stalwart of warriors, at best, would’ve struggled tremendously against the beast Atralux, yet she became possessed by that mysterious energy. It was if she had been swung along by invisible marionette strings dangling above, dancing to a destructive elegy as she brought the creature down to nothingness with a simple touch of her hand on its abominable face. Not even the many, albeit injured, homunculi could defeat the monstrous creature, one of Callista’s many leftover horrors from the past age.

Hopefully, by sunrise, a passing ranger or Illsten Merchant Company trade caravan would be able to let them hitch a ride to the city so that the weary child could give her frail legs rest. Furthermore, a prayer was guiding her hopes that the Wayfairer convent was still operating and not defunct or corrupt.

The Wayfairers were quite the autonomous group, having cherished the tradition of service to the lost children in every major community, knowing that a loving, guiding hand could yield far better results than a hand weighted with anger or cruelty. It took many years to be “knighted” as an official nun of the order, after thorough inspection to prevent negligence or abuse from filling their ranks.

Although in desperate need of acquiescence herself, Adwyth couldn’t help but be mindful of danger that might present itself yet. Yula was not educated about this world, let alone still a child, so leaving her unattended at any time was out of the question. The one exception she had already made was when they arrived in Cré Ullen from the mana devoid world the child called “Earth”, but had she not, Yula would not have had the wraith’s guidance through the nightmares of Tohredden. 

Slipping deep into her own thoughts, the creature pondered what lie ahead the following day.

——

Steadfast and resolute, the morning sun rose swiftly into the inky, dark sky, its light falling elegantly on Yula’s shut eyelids, and soon the sound of field birds roused the girl from her sleep. Yawning and stretching out the knots that the hardened ground below left in her tired body, she lazily rubbed the sleep from her eyes to assess the new day that lay before her.

Not wasting a moment for Adwyth to address her, the girl foraged through the grass for more of the Golden Pods, both as a meager breakfast and to fill her gown’s pockets for the journey onward. After comfortably collecting more without having to search far, she sat back against the ditch slope and popped a pair of pods into her mouth, admiring the cloudless cerulean skies above, marveling at the occasional bird carelessly passing by.

“(Did you know the world outside your chambers, Yula?)”

Thinking about the question and waiting till she swallowed her food before speaking, she shook her head somewhat. “No, I didn’t. I’ve read about nearly anything you can imagine in my books, but...” she momentarily trailed off as a flock of what seemed to be geese with burning crimson breast plumage passed overhead. “None of it prepared me for how crushingly beautiful the world truly is.” 

“(‘Crushingly’ seems to be an odd choice of word, no?)” the wraith prodded gently.

“Crushingly so because... I was going to die. I was going to die and would never get experience the wind on my face, or the sensation of a brook trickling over my toes and fingers. I wouldn’t get to know the feeling of aching legs carrying me through a beautiful journey of my own back on Earth, let alone... a place so thrilling and fantastic as yours.”

Tears began trickling down Yula’s face, her voice cracking somewhat as she continued. “Even if I starve to death making my way to Drendes or some wild beast strikes me down with a tremendous blow from its paw, it would still be worth the things I’ve already gotten to see in Cré. Knowing that there is a world of fantasy like the books I’ve cherished so deeply, it makes my heart happier than I could ever express.”

Adwyth didn’t speak, stricken by the words the child had spoken. For several minutes no words passed between the pair, as the girl ate several more of the pods, noticing that they seemed to somewhat hydrating her as well. The cry of a cicada filled the air nearby, and finally, Yula spoke once more, a smile now worn across her face.

“Sorry... I’m just a bit overwhelmed by the events of the last couple days here. Give me a few minutes more and we can set off again!” She said, a genuinely cheerful tone now filling her voice. 

“(I can tell you’re exhausted still, are you sure you don’t want to rest further?)”

“I’m excruciatingly sore and want to sleep for another three days but I’m too excited to see more of this world and I can’t do that if I’m asleep!” She explained, rising slowly to her feet and brushing off the dust accumulating on her clothing. 

Making sure her foothold was secure, Yula climbed back up onto the dusty road above. Peering down the highway, it seemed to stretch boringly straight for a ways, until trailing down out of sight, likely making its way down a hill of some sort. No dust or human shaped figures could yet be seen in the distance, but not losing determination, the pair of companions marched soundly off. 

About an hour passed as they made their way down the path, until the pair noticed several trees breaking up the monotony of grassy fields ahead. Reaching the landmarks, Yula noticed a strikingly familiar shape hanging off the branches, and cried out upon what what they were.

“Apples!! Oh my god!” She proclaimed excitedly.

“(Ap..pulls?)” Adwyth asked, audibly confused. 

“Yeah, apples! It’s a fruit we have on Earth, too! Though, I’m not sure what kind it is, I only really know Red Delicious and Granny Smith.” She said, laughing a bit at herself. 

“(Appulls seems a strange name... Here they are known as Mazüll, a fruit named after the tribe of Icelleon that brought them East from the forests in the western edge of the continent several millennia ago.)”

“What happened to the Mazüll people?”

“(They eventually mixed with other natives of the central region and became the modern citizens of Ullen. Though, there are some villages in the north that have the remaining remnants of the original Mazüll people. Rumor is there are even a few shamans left, practitioners of ancient strains of magic rarely seen amongst mainstream mages or colleges.)”

Reaching up to snag an apple from a low hanging limb, Yula inspected it for any holes that could be housing a worm. Upon seeing it was clean, she took a large bite of the fruit, a tart, somewhat bitter, flavor filling her mouth. Sounds of delight could be made out between each bite, delighted because she never had an apple like this back at the hospital.

Sitting down with her back against the tree, she wanted to admire the sunny skies and bright day while she ate her fill of fruit. Birds in the sky cried out to one another piercing enough that anyone below could make out their carefree squabbles. A squirrel could be heard foraging out of sight somewhere in the tree above, while a line of ants found themselves working on a fallen apple several feet from where she rested.

“I could listen to you talk about the history of your world forever, Adwyth. Do you want to know what one of my biggest problems with fairy tales and stories was?”

Chuckling, Adwyth was now curious, “(No, what is it?)”

“They only give you a taste of their worlds, never a mouthful, let alone a meal, to fill your stomach with their words. I don’t want just the story of the damsel in distress or the kingdom in peril, I want to know about the people that made the nation what it is, their ancestors, why their culture revered them as heroes, or saw them as villains.”

Pausing a moment to swallow a bite, she continued, “If you don’t know anything about the people or what brought them to where they are, can you really say you know the whole story? You’re only getting one side!”

Realizing there was nothing left but core, Yula tossed the apple out to the ants in the grass, knowing they’d make use of the remaining flesh. Pulling back her short, almond colored hair to keep it off the tree, she admired the scenery one last time before rising to her feet.

“(It seems the one I chose to bring back to this world was far more interesting than I could have ever imagined,”) Adwyth chimed, a soft laugh in her voice. “(Not many want more than the story that helps them sleep at night or that makes them feel good about their perceptions of the world. To want more, despite how it may change the story they hold dear…)”

“Go on, what does it mean to want more?” She pondered aloud.

“(That you have character, child. You’ll learn this world is not innocent. The evils of it may or may not mirror what you know in your own world, but we house endless wickedness within our own, and not being afraid to confront that will give you the armor you need to fortify yourself against all odds.)”

Raising an eyebrow, she responded, “I don’t know about anything like that. I just don’t want to be ignorant of the whole picture, too many adults in my own world can’t confront the hard truths right in front of them…”

Walking back to the country road, Yula continued down it once more, her steps somehow more sure than they were before, carried by a full stomach of apple. It was the most substantial thing she had eaten thus far, and it was amazing what even a spartan meal could accomplish for one’s spirit. Hopefully the natural sugars would also wash away some of the mental fatigue for when they inevitably encountered a fellow traveler.

As another hour came and went by on the fluttering wings of time, a distant sound familiar to Adwyth could be heard steadily growing louder in the distance behind them. Casting a nervous glance over her shoulder, Yula noticed a trail of dust filling the air several miles back, the cause of it being a small carriage carried by a pair of horses swiftly narrowing the gap between them and the lone rider that appeared to be the guiding hand of the galloping beasts.

“(Yu-)” Adwyth began.

“I know!” Yula said, throwing herself off the path, knowing that another traveler might have ill intent for a lone child wandering alone in the countryside.

Knowing it’d be mere minutes before the horses caught up, Yula didn’t want to rely on luck that they hadn’t been seen, trying to lie down as low as she could manage within the grass. Trying to calm her breathing, she listened intently for the approaching hooves, hoping that the rider was of the friendly sort at best, at worst, indifferent to them.

Heart racing as the now thundering footfall of the horses slowed to a stop, Yula remained motionless, hoping the grass masked her form from detection. Aside from the horses snorting impatiently, the rider remained silent for what seemed like ages, possibly surveying the field from atop his carriage.

Footsteps, although relatively quiet, could finally be heard in the gravel that littered the highway towards where the girl had leapt into the field moments before. Several more moments passed, while she silently waited for the rider to announce themselves or move on, when a voice called out, more feminine than she had expected.

“I don’t have time to be followed nor robbed by bandits, no matter how diminutive they seem from afar! Show yourself and state your intentions!” Came a commanding woman’s voice, sharp as a knife cutting through the air above Yula’s head.

Not answering the summons, Yula stayed put, awaiting Adwyth’s instructions. 

“(Don’t try to run, give it a moment longer.)”

“I’ll give you three seconds to show yourself! Otherwise I’ll drag you out of there myself!” Came the voice once more.

Unsure if her call was going to be heeded, the mysterious rider began to count aloud.

“One!”

“(Yula, do not scream or panic, if she means harm, I will do whatever I can.)”

“Okay…” she whispered in an agitated whisper, fear filling her veins and arteries as her heart danced anxious within her chest.

“Two!” Came the next number.

“(And please, if I have to strike, do not judge me. I was Icelleon once, and detest the form I possess now with every fiber I still have left within my being.)”

“Understood,” She whispered once more.

“Three! That’s your last chance to willingly come out!” The rider outstretched her hands into the air, eyes closing as she began muttering a spell.

“Tendril hands, find my prey! LIFT THIS FIELD MOUSE FROM ITS DEN!”

Suddenly, without warning, as if seized by a giant, invisible hand, Yula felt her body yanked off the ground so hard it tore the air from her lungs. Sputtering, she inadvertently screamed in shock as she was hoisted up over the grass, floating awkwardly and upside above the grass.

“Just as I thought! A hawk nearly always snatches its prey before it can reach the safety of its den! Explain yourself! Are you trying to rob or track me?! It’s no secret I carry valuable assets on my carriage!” She yelled, the mood of her voice suggesting she was not someone to be crossed.

Blinking the dust out of her eyes, Yula made a quick assessment of the woman that she could from the angle she was being dangled at. Her hair was white as snow, tied up in a surprisingly decorative bun, that somehow felt surprising, despite her warrior’s exterior. Her complexion nearly as pale as her hair, she seemed a living ghost walking amongst the living, her thin frame matching the appearance.

“I,” Yula sputtered, still somewhat winded by the force now holding her aloft. “I don’t mean any harm… I’m just trying to get to Drendes.”

“While I’m now a courier of supplies, I was once an inquisitor. If you lie, I *will* know.” She spat, eyes now squinting as they sized up Yula.

“I’m an orphan with no memory of my past! I was told by a Spriggan that I could find aid in Drendes with the Wayfairers! Please, I jumped off the road because I wasn’t sure if you were someone that would do me harm!” Cried Yula, mostly truthful, hoping that her tone could mask the white lies within the statement.

“You’ve got a suspicious air, but I don’t sense any deceit in your tone. Your aura is… clouded, though. Still, that’s not my concern, truthfully. If I set you down, will you promise to mind your manners?”

“Of course, I never meant any harm to begin with!”

Turning her right-side up in the air, Yula was gently set down by the invisible hand onto the ground below. Dusting herself off and trying to maintain balance after being shaken so violently, she began taking steps closer to the woman, raising her hands above her head as she went. Taking a gulp, she began to speak to state her intentions.

“If you were a warrior, you can tell I’m not a threat. I have no weapons, I…” Pausing for a moment, she took a gamble, “I just want a favor.”

Peering up at the woman now only several feet from her, Yula held back a gasp as she looked up into her eyes.

Her irises were a vibrant violet purple, imposing a mighty will that could’ve stricken down a charging bull were they so inclined. Her face was somber, its countenance severe, her features sharper than the short blades that Yula then noticed strapped to her sides. 

“Child, you couldn’t touch a hair on my head before I would cut you down, were I so inclined,” she smirked, completely sure in her words. “What’s more, I can tell you’re unarmed, so go ahead and ask your favor.”

“(Yula, what are you doing…?)”

Nodding in complete understanding, Yula asked her question.

“Will you take me, if you’re already heading that way?”

Grunting and lowering her hands to her sides, the rider responded, “It just so happens that I am heading to Drendes as well. They’re housing some injured refugees that need a specific salve that I’m carrying from the north, and I was the one who offered to make the run for it.”

“But…” She continued, “It’ll be a rough ride back so I can get these back in time to save the afflicted victims. You’ll be thrown around like a frail sparrow clinging to the last peaceful breeze amidst a summer storm. Can you handle that, little bird?”

“I don’t know how much longer I can walk, and I’ve got no food or water, so who knows if I’d even make it. Please, I don’t care how rough the ride will be, I just want to make it to the Wayfairers.”

Closing her eyes and waving her hand, the rider turned away and walked back towards the carriage, where the horses were still impatiently pawing the earth beneath their hooves. Sighing as she went, she called out.

“Fine, but no more talk. We’re leaving now.”

Slightly dumbfounded, but feeling the sense of urgency in the rider’s words, she chased after the woman, nearly tripping as she followed. Making it to the carriage, she swiftly climbed aboard and sank into a small space behind the rider and between two small barrels, wedging herself in tightly for the bumpy ride that lay ahead.

Taking her place once more at the reins, the woman shot a glance down at Yula. “What’s your name, child?”

“Y-Yula. Yula Volkov.” She forced, over a slight stutter.

“Honored to meet you, Yula. My name is Clyra Theta’Vyun, a retainer to Drendes' nobility and protector of its peoples and interests. Now, let us speak no more until we’ve passed beneath the city’s gates!”

Crying out and cracking the reins, the horses took off at a gallop once more, throwing Yula down further into the small space. Adwyth silently tried to assess Clyra and the entire situation as they sped off down the road, unsure of what awaited the wandering pair.


End file.
